Next – Camera Body (think of this as your CPU w/ a life-span of 3-5 years)

Hand Holding

Two biggest challenges with hand-holding a DSLR:

1) Focus

2) Shaking

What do you do?
Get a handheld rig (RedRock Micro, Zacuto, Cinevate) and a “loop” (Zacuto) to magnify your viewfinder.

RedRock uses a base plate system so you can transition easily from a tripod system to handholding.

Make sure to have a follow-focus system on the rig as well.

If you get a SteadyCam, make sure it’s a vest-based system. If you don’t have a vest, it’s impossible to get smooth motion.

Don’t try to make your body steady. Find a rhythm. Create a stylized look where the camera is constantly moving (i.e. a slight sway).

Shutter Speed and Frame Rates (standard settings)

24p – 1/50 (there is no 1/48 on a DSLR like there is on a traditional video camera)

30p – 1/60

Rolling Shutter

DSLRs use a rolling shutter instead of a global shutter so the image is not recorded exactly all at once – the result is that if you move the camera quickly back and forth, you will get a “rubbery” image (like when you wiggle a pencil rapidly). Nikon is worse than Canon.

Dolly Systems

CamTram system.

Slider system (sliding and panning).

Audio

Lapel mic – Sennheiser, Lectrosonics, Countryman

Shotgun mic – Sennheiser Me66/K6

When you boom, you generally want to boom from above (avoid AC noise, etc.)

On set, back up to RAID-1 two terabyte drive ($300). At the end of the day, back up to G-Drive. Client pays for both of these.

Keep FCP project on local drive and all media on external RAID drive.

***We should get a RAID drive that can be shared between our computers.***

Multiple formats? – Often, Jem will start with Compressor to equalize all formats into one codec. If you shoot on P2, you’re automatically funked. Standard HD pixels are square. HDV uses rectangular pixels. Transcode everything to ProRes first (square pixels), and then edit.

***Get Log and Transfer plug-in for FinalCut Pro from Canon.***

FCP

File – Log and Transfer

If you’re coming directly off of the card, you can archive the entire card (Archive to Disk Image), or just the contents (Archive to Folder).

You can also set the format that the Canon H.264 footage is converted to – i.e. Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) – in Import Preferences.

ProRes 422 (Proxy) produces files that are slightly smaller than the camera’s. This generally looks good.

ProRes 422 (LT) produces files that are about 2x as large. Most of the time, you don’t need to go above this. This is what Jem uses. Jem doesn’t even keep the camera’s original H.264 files.

You can set In and Out points, and the plug-in also gives you timecode (from the time of day).